NWFL Premiership: Ovie Joseph upbeat about Royal Queens’ Super Six qualification hopes

By Oyediji Oluwaseun Babatunde

Royal Queen’s coach, Kingsley Ovie Joseph is confident that his wards can still qualify for the Super Six tournament at the end of the regular season in the 2022/2023 Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership.

Two goals from Mercy Omokwo and a strike by Fehintola Mabokanje lifted Delta Queens to consecutive league victory at the expense of Royal Queens  at Asaba Township Stadium, Delta State on Wednesday.

The Warri based outfit have recorded a win and two defeats from their opening three games this term and Ovie has attributed their unfortunate loss to the poor quality of officiating, while assuring his side will still bounce back.

“By the special grace of God, we are going to play the Super Six. That I believe. God will do it. We will play in the Super Six,”  Ovie told nigeriafootball.ng.

“The performance of my girls is very okay. They were excellent. Some of the matches we lost were not due to not playing well but the referee aided.

“In the women’s league, we see that the home team does use referees to their advantage. That’s what actually happened today. The first goal we conceded was not a clear penalty as the ball doesn’t touch the hand of the central defender,” the coach lamented.

The second goal was an offside as the Reserved Referee allowed the play to go on. It was offside before the cross came into our 18-yard box. It was just the last goal that was a clear goal. The other goals were aided by the referee.”

The Canadian Geese will next face holders Bayelsa Queens next Wednesday at Warri City Stadium as Ovie looks forward to his side’s second home win of the campaign.

“Going forward, by the grace of God, we are going to our home match to prepare, play, and carry the day,” he added.

The Warri-based side has won one of its first three league games and will hope to bounce back from its second defeat of the season.